Visa: Almost Two-Thirds of Americans Surveyed Will Host Super Bowl Party; Average Will Spend $172

Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and San Antonio Top the List of Super Bowl Celebrating Cities; San Francisco and New York City at the Bottom

San Francisco, CA - January 22, 2009 - With Super Bowl XLIII just over a week away, new Visa Inc. surveys show that many Americans plan on celebrating the big game with family and friends. Visa found that sixty-two percent of Americans who were surveyed said they plan to hold a Super Bowl party and expect to spend an average of $172 on the festivities.

Visa also conducted surveys in seventeen metropolitan areas around the country and found a wide disparity among cities in their residents’ plans to hold a Super Bowl party and how much they will spend on those get-togethers. Washington, D.C. (71%), Pittsburgh, PA (70%) and San Antonio, TX (70%) topped the list of areas with the highest number of respondents saying they will host Super Bowl parties, while San Francisco, CA (58%), New York City (57%) and the state of Vermont (52%) represent areas of the country with the fewest number of respondents holding a celebration.

Though fewer residents in the New York City area will be hosting Super Bowl parties, those that do will shell out the most money on those gatherings – averaging $226 per party. Following New York, other cities spending big on the big game are: Orlando, FL ($199), San Francisco, CA ($192), Chicago, IL ($191), Miami, FL ($189) and Los Angeles, CA ($186).

"Watching the Super Bowl with family and friends has become a cherished American tradition,” said Jason Alderman, Visa’s director of financial education. “In these challenging economic times, setting – and sticking too – a budget for your Super Bowl party is a simple way to continue this tradition without overspending. For parents, it is also a teachable moment to talk to their children about budgeting and spending choices."

To help parents begin the conversation about managing money with their children, Visa, the NFL and NFL PLAYERS have created an educational video game called "Financial Football" which can be played online for free at www.financialfootball.com.

Visa has reached agreements with nineteen state governments to donate the "Financial Football" game and accompanying financial education curriculum to every high school in those states. They are: West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wisconsin, Nevada, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Arizona and Missouri.

Visa’s surveys asked the question-Will you be having family and friends over to your home to watch the Super Bowl? If so, how much, in total, would you estimate you will spend on food, beverages and other items?

Respondents answering "Yes" to the question "Will you be having family and friends over to your home to watch the Super Bowl?"

National Average

62%

Washington, D.C.

71%

Pittsburgh, PA

70%

San Antonio, TX

70%

Miami, FL

69%

Chicago, IL

69%

Philadelphia, PA

68%

Cincinnati, OH

66%

Austin, TX

65%

Baltimore, MD

65%

Los Angeles, CA

62%

Charlotte, NC

62%

Springfield, MO

62%

Springfield, IL

61%

Orlando, FL

59%

San Francisco, CA

58%

New York, NY

57%

Vermont

52%

"How much, in total, would you estimate you will spend on food, beverages and other items?"

National Average

$172

New York, NY

$226

Orlando, FL

$199

San Francisco, CA

$192

Chicago, IL

$191

Miami, FL

$189

Los Angeles, CA

$186

Charlotte, NC

$176

Pittsburgh, PA

$171

Philadelphia, PA

$170

Springfield, IL

$170

Austin, TX

$167

Baltimore, MD

$163

Washington, D.C.

$159

Springfield, MO

$156

San Antonio, TX

$153

Cincinnati, OH

$136

Vermont

$125

Visa’s national survey was of 1,000 consumers, 18 and older, by phone. The survey had an overall margin of error of +/-3.1%. Visa also conducted 17 regional surveys in key media markets. These regional surveys were conducted among 400 consumers, 18 and older, in each region, by phone. The regional surveys have a 4.9% margin of error.

In addition to "Financial Football," Visa offers consumers of all ages Practical Money Skills for Life (www.practicalmoneyskills.com), a free, comprehensive financial education program that is available in English, Spanish and Chinese. The program contains three comprehensive sections, complete with money management resources and lesson plans tailored for use at home, in the classroom or at work. It also contains an array of tips to help prepare for life changing financial events, from planning for a baby to saving for college and retirement, as well as a number of other budget calculators and interactive games.

Visa also runs What's My Score (www.whatsmyscore.org), a leading higher education consumer awareness program. The website guides college students through the ABC's of a FICO credit score, from factors that can lower a score to ways on improving it, at no charge.

About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world, and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.